There are over 700 different known species of Gum trees (eucalypts)  scattered throughout the landscapes of Australia. Their  range of habitat include the arid inlands of australia to the wet coastal regions, as well as including the snowy alps of the southern highlands to the tropical rainforestsof the north, There is approx only 12 species of  Gum trees (eucalypts) that grow naturally outside the boundaries of our continent, Australia.

 The term "gum tree" is derived from the habit of some eucalyptus tree species excreting a sticky, almost gum-like substance from the trunk. This is  not a general characteristic but  the term "gum tree" has become a common generic term for most species of eucalyptus trees. A number of other common names have been applied to certain groups of eucalypts based on features such as bark type, timber characteristics or growth habit. 

Timber Uses

The most important commercial use of eucalypts is in forestry industry and in todays age of conservation, harvesting timber has met with an ever increasing  resistance in that the move to preserve our old growth forests have gained considerable momentum,

Timber production from eucalypts is carried out all over  Australia . Many different species are either used both from natural forests and from plantations.  Some of the uses for eucalyptus trees  are:

• Building material (for termite resistance); eg
  
          Red River Gum,  (E.camaldulensis),
  
          Jarrah  (E.marginata )


• Furniture production; eg.
  
         Spotted Gum  (C.maculata)
  
        Tasmanian Blue Gum (E.globulus) 


• Woodchips; eg
  
         Red River Gum (E.camaldulensis)
  
         Tasmanian Blue Gum  (E.globulus)
  
          Manna Gum ( E.viminalis)


• Paper; production eg
  
         Mahogany Gum ( E.botryoides)
  
         Red River Gum (E.camaldulensis)
  
          Rose or Flooded gum (E.grandis)


• Fuel; eg
  
          Red River Gum (E.camaldulensis)
  
         Tasmanian Blue Gum ( E.globulus)
  
          Sydney Blue Gum ( E.saligna)

Another commercially important feature of eucalyptus trees is the extraction of the oils contained in the foliage. Surprisingly enough , production of eucalypt oil is greater in overseas countrys  than here  in Australia. Spain and Portugal   produce more than 50% of the world's supply with Australian production being only around 5%. Eucalypt oil has been used in medicines, industry and for perfumes 

Honey

The flowers of all eucalyptus trees contain a pollen or nectar and many of the different species are very  important to  the  beekeeping world. Honey is often marketed with the tree species prefix defining  the different flavours available under the name of the main species involved in its production (eg. Yellow box, Red ironbark).

Koala Food Source

Common Name Scientific Name

PRIMARY TREE SPECIES

Cabbage Gum ................................E. amplifolia

Orange Gum ...................................E. bancrofti

River Red Gum............................... E. camaldulensis

Coolabah........................................ E. coolabah

Tallowwood .....................................E. microcorys

Parramatta Red gum .....................E. parramattensis

Swamp Mahogany .........................E. robusta

Forest Red Gum .............................E. tereticornis

Ribbon Gum ....................................E. viminalis

SECONDARY TREE SPECIES

Narrow-leaved Peppermint ...........E. acaciiformis

White box........................................ E. albens

Tenterfield Woolybutt..................... E. banksii

Blue Box ..........................................E. baueriana

Eurabble ..........................................E. bicostata

Grey Gum ........................................E. biturbinata

Blakely’s Red Gum ........................E. blakelyi

Coast Grey Box............................. E. bosistoana

Apple-topped Box .........................E. bridgesiana

Broad-leaved Sally ........................E. camphora

Large-fruited Grey Gum ................E. canaliculata

Dirty Gum....................................... E. chloroclada

Argyle Apple ..................................E. cinerea

Fuzzy Box .......................................E. Conica

Yertchuk .........................................E. consideniana

Monkey Gum .................................E. cypellocarpa*

Mountain Gum ..............................E. dalrympleana

Tumbledown Gum ........................E. dealbata

Dwyer’s Red Gum ........................E. dwyeri

Slaty Red Gum ..............................E. glaucina

Bundy .............................................E. goniocaly

Craven Grey Box.......................... E. largeana

Black Box ......................................E. largiflorens

Woolybutt ......................................E. longifolia

Maiden’s Gum ..............................E. maidenii

Moonbi Apple Box .......................E. malacoxylon

Brittle Gum ....................................E. mannifera

Yellow Box ....................................E. melliodora

Brittle Gum ...................................E. michaeliana

Western Grey Box .......................E. microcarpa

Grey Box ......................................E. moluccana

Mallee Red Gum .........................E. nandewarica

Narrow-leaved Black Pepperment.......... E. nichollii

Large-flowered Bundy ................E. nortonii

Mountain Mahogany ...................E. notabilis

New England Pepperment......... E. nova-anglica

Snow Gum ...................................E. pauciflora

Pilliga Box ....................................E. pilligaensis

Red Box ........................................E. polyanthemos

Bimble Box ...................................E. populnea

Orange Gum ................................E. prava

Brittle Gum ...................................E. praecox

Small-fruited Grey Gum ..............E. propinqua

Bastard Eurabbie .......................E. pseudoglobulus

Grey Gum..................................... E. punctata

By Colin Saul